End rolling machine



Dec. 27, 1960 F. FISCHER 2,966,193

END ROLLING MACHINE Filed July 9, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IZZa,

BNVENTOR FRITZ FISCHER ATTORNEY Dec. 27, 1960 F. FISCHER 2,966,193

END ROLLING MACHINE Filed July 9, 195a INVENTOR FRITZ FISCHER @ZLwu ATT RNEY United States Patent END ROLLING MACHINE Fritz Fischer, Automation Design & Machinery Co., 532 E. 178th St., New York 57, Nil.

Filed July 9, 1958, Ser. No. 747,523

9 Claims. ((31.153-2) This invention relates to an end rolling machine for correcting deformities and removing burrs in the ends of metal tubes and pipes.

The end rolling machine herein described and claimed is concerned mainly with tubing which is manufactured on mills capable of forming it from coiled metal strip and Welding it continuously at high speeds, such as one hundred feet per minute. The coiled strip may be many hundreds and even thousands of feet long and the tubing made therefrom would correspond in length to the strip. The tubing is however, cut into shorter length as it leaves the mill and, this is done by means of flying shears which follow the tube at its own speed during the cutting operation and then return to their starting station for the next cut. These shears possess one disadvantage and that is they deform the ends of the tube in the manner illustrated in the drawing and in addition, they generally produce burrs which also detract from the appearance and usefulness of the tube.

Burr removing devices and end rolling machines are known and used for the purpose of removing these burrs and correcting the deformities. The most common type of machine adapted to perform both of these functions is provided with a mandrel which enters one end of the tube and a roller which engages the same end of the tube, the wall of the tube being disposed between said mandrel and said roller and being rolled between them. The machine treats one end of the tube at a time and it therefore becomes necessary to reverse the position of the tube in order to effect a rolling action upon both ends. in this type of machine, it is essential that the tube be supported by clamping, chucking or other supporting means in addition to the mandrel itself, said mandrel supporting one end of the tube and the other supporting means carrying the opposite end of thetube and sometimes portions of the tube intermediate its end. The procedure thus outlined is time consuming and therefore costly since only one end of the tube may be treated at any one time. Further time is consumed in properly supporting the tube for the rolling operation. There is also the disadvantage which is inherent in supporting the tube intermediate its ends on mechanical supporting members since this tends to deface or mar the tube wall and this is especially important when the tube is used in the making of furniture and display equipment and the like. This type of tube is usually plated after it is cut and deburred and scuff marks or scratches would show up hrough the plating and impair the appearance and quality of the end products.

'lhe principle object of this invention is the provision of an end rolling machine'of the character described, which rolls both ends of a given tube simultaneously and which requires-no mechanical means for supporting the tube intermediate its ends.

In the presentmachine both ends of the tube are adequately supported duringthe rolling operation on two identical sets of mandrelsand rollers, one such set for ice each end of the tube. In other words, the tube is supported at both ends on the very same apparatus which rolls them. External supporting members are not required for either end of the tube or for any intermediate portion thereof.

Another important aspect of this invention is the mechanical feeding and handling apparatus which is embodied in the machine and which is synchronized in its operation with the end rolling operations of said machine. Stated briefly, said feeding and handling apparatus includes means for storing a quantity of tubes preparatory to the rolling operations subjecting them to the end rolling operations herein described feeding them one at a time to the mandrels of said machine, causing the mandrels to engage the ends of each said tube, causing the rollers to engage the wall of each said tube against said mandrels, causing the mandrels to rotate in order to roll the ends of the tube against the rollers, disengaging the rollers from the tube, then disengaging the mandrels from the tube, and finally removing the tube from the rolling station.

In one form of this invention, the tubes are stored on a downwardly sloping ramp and they are gravity-fed to the end rolling station. In another form of this invention the tubes are stored on a conveyor such as an endless belt mounted on sprockets, said belt being provided with partitions which space the individual tubes from each other. These two forms of the invention are intended to illustrate the various kinds of automatic feeding and handling means which may be used in connection with the end rolling apparatus and procedures herein claimed.

An important feature of this invention is its burrrernoving means which automatically removes the burrs simultaneously with the rolling of the tube ends to correct deformities. This burr-removing means consistsof a pair of guide walls at opposite ends of the tube, these guide walls serving to prevent axial dislodgement or shifting of each tube as it is fed to the mandrels. However, during the rolling operation, the ends of the tube bear against these guide walls and the burrs are detached from the tube ends by reason of their engagement with the guide walls.

A wiping action takes place between the ends of the tube while the tube engages in rotary movement during the rolling operation and the stationary guide walls and the burrs are accordingly broken away and detached from the tube.

The invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1a is a fragmentary sectional view through one end of a machine made in accordance with said invention.

Fig. 1b is a similar view showing the opposite end of said machine, the two views showing different stages in the operation of said machine.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, partly sectional view of a tube-handling element showing the supporting of a tube preparatory to engagement with a mandrel and a roller.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view removed from Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is another view like that of Fig. 2, but showing the tube engaged both by the mandrel and the roller.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to that of Fig. 3 showing the tube engaged by the mandrel and roller.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to that of Figs. 2 and 4 but showing the treated tube discharged from the machine.

Fig. 7 is an end view of the tube prior to the end rolling operation thereon.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 88 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a side view of a conveyor type of tube and handling mechanism.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view showing the same conveyor disengagedfrom a particular tube while said tube is engaged by the mandrels and rollers of the machine.

The machine herein claimed. is provided with a supporting frame adapted to support it on a horizontal structure such as a floor or other horizontal framework. Mounted on said frame 10 are two sets of bearings 12, 14, 12a and 14a, each set being disposed at one end of the machine and all of said bearings beingin alignment in each other. Rotatably mounted in bearings 12, 14 is a sleeve 16 and a similar sleeve 16a is supported in bearings 12a, 140. A spindle 18 is mounted within sleeve 16 for longitudinal slidable movement relative thereto, keys 20 being provided between said spindle and said sleeve to prevent relative angular movementbetween them. A similar spindle 18a is mounted in sleeve 16a for longitudinal movement relative thereto and keys 20a are provided between said spindle and said sleeve to prevent relative angular movement between them.

It will now be noted that a dual pulley 22 is mounted on sleeve 16 between bearings 12 and 14 and it will be understood that said pulley is keyed to the sleeve by means of key 24. A pair of belts 26 connect pulley 22 to a second dual pulley 28 mounted on the shaft of electric motor 39. This motor may include speed reduction gears in conventional manner, if desired. It will further be noted that a dual pulley 22a is mounted on sleeve 16a being fixed thereto by means of key 2412. Belts 26a connect said pulley 22a to a dual pulley 28a on the shaft of an electric motor 30a. This electric motor corresponds to motor 31 and again, if desired, it may include speed reduction gears to decrease the speed of operation of the machine while increasing its torque.

Secured to spindle 18 is a mandrel 40. This mandrel may be replaceable and, as illustrated in the drawing, it may be secured to a screw threaded shank 42 which itself is engaged within a tapped hole formed in spindle 18 coaxially therewith. This is an important feature since it is by this means that a mandrel of a given size may be removed and another mandrel of different size may be inserted. At the opposite end of the machine, a corre sponding mandrel 40a may be secured to a threaded shank 42a and said shank may be engaged within a tapped hole in spindle 18a. It will be observed that the two mandrels face each other and it will be understood that they are disposed on a common axis.

It will be understood from the foregoing, that the two mandrels may be made to rotate by means of the two electric motors 30 and 30a which drive through their respective belt and pulley assemblies to cause rotation of sleeves 16 and 16a in spindles 18 and 18a. The two motors are intended to operate at the same speed and at the same time, to impress corresponding torque forces on the two spindles and hence on the two mandrels supported thereby.

Vertical guide walls 50 and 50a are supported on frame 10 adjacent mandrels 40 and 40a. It is between these guide walls that tubes 52 are fed to operative position opposite mandrels 40 and 40a. It will be seen that the mandrels are caused to move longitudinally of themselves from inoperative position as shown in Fig. 1a to operative position as shown in Fig. lb. When in inoperative position,,the mandrels are spaced from the ends of a tube 52 supported between guide walls 50 and 50a. When in operative position, the mandrels are moved into engagement with the ends of said tube and more particularly, into the ends of the tube. This is shown in Fig. 1b.

As has above been stated,'a wiping action takes place between the guide walls and the ends of the tubes during the rolling operation and this detaches and removes the burrs from the ends of the tubes.

The means for causing longitudinal movement of the mandrelsinto and out of engagement with the ends of the tubes is shown in Figs. 1a and 1b. This means comprises'a pair of throw bearings 54 and 54a mounted on spindles 18 and 18a. The spindles are, of course, free to rotate within said throw bearings but said spindles and said throw bearings are locked against axial m v ment relative to each other. A forked rocker arm 56 engages throw bearing 54 by means of trunnions 58. Said rocker arm is supported intermediate its ends on pivot 60 which, in turn, is supported on an adjustable bracket 62. Pivot 60 is carried within an elongated slot 61 in rocker arm 56 to permit longitudinal movement of said arm in addition to angular movement about the pivot axis.

Adjustable bracket 62 is carried on frame member 64 attached by bolt 66 to the main frame 10 of the machine. The lower end or rocker arm 56 is pivotally connected by means of pin 68 to one end of an adjustable connecting rod 70. The opposite end of said connecting rod is attached by means of pivot 72 to one arm of a bellcrank 74. Said bellcrank is pivotally supported on frame it by means of a pin 76. a The opposite arm of the bellcrank is slotted to receive a pin on a sliding block82. This sliding block is adapted to slide axially of itself within housing 84 on frame 10. As shown in Fig. 1a, said housing is disposed with its central axis extending vertically consequently said block will be movable in either vertical direction. Keys 86 between said block and said housing prevents angular movement of the block relative to the housing.

Sliding block 82 is connected by means of piston rod to a piston within air for hydraulic cylinder 92. Lines 94 and 96 are connected to the opposite ends of the said cylinder at opposite ends of the piston and they are also connected to a source of air or hydraulic fluid under pressure. It will, therefore, be understood from this arrangement that when air or hydraulic fluid is introduced under pressure to the lower end of cylinder 92 through line 96, the piston will be forced upwardly and with the piston rod 90 and sliding block 82. This will cause the bellcrank 74 to pivot in clockwise direction about pin 76 and connecting rod 70 will, accordingly, be thrust rightwardly as viewed in Fig. 1a. Rocking arm 56 will thereby be actuated and caused to swing in counter-clockwise direction about pin 60. This will have the effect of thrusting spindle 18 and its mandrel 49 leftwardly as viewed in Fig. 1a into engagement with one end of tube 52. When it is desired to retract the mandrel and its said supporting spindle to disengage the mandrel from tube 52, air or hydraulic fluid is introduced into cylinder 2 through line 94 and this will cause the piston in said cylinder to move downwardly. The procedure above described will now be reversed sliding block $2 moving downwardly, bellcrank 74 moving in counterclockwise direction and rocking arm 56 moving in clockwise direction.

The mechanism last above described for causing axial movement of spindle 18 and mandrel 49 is duplicated on the opposite side of the machine as follows. Forked rocking arm 56a engages thrust bearing 54:: by means of trunnions 58a, said rocker arm being supported by means of pin 60a on adjustable bracket 62a. Said adjustable bracket is mounted on a frame member 64a which is attached by bolt 66a to frame 10. The lower end of rocker arm 56:: is connected by means of pin 68a to one end of an adjustable connecting rod 70a. The opposite end of said connecting rod is connected by means of pin 72a to a bellcrank 74a. Said bellcrank is pivoted by means of pin 76a to the frame 10 and it is provided with a slotted arm which engages a pin 80a on sliding block 92a. This sliding block is slideably mounted within a housing 84a, the slideable movement being in either vertical direction, but said block is secured against angular movement relative to said block by means of key elements 86a between said sliding block andsaid housing. The lower end of sliding block 82a is secured to a piston rod 90a which in turn is connected to a piston disposed within cylinder 9221. Upper and lower lines 94a and 96a connect the cylinder to a suitable source of compressed air or hydraulic fluid under pressure. It is by this means that sliding block 82a may be caused to move in either a-scenes *vertical direction and thereby effecting a longitudinal movement of spindle 18 'andmandrelllla into and out of engagement with tube 52.

Rotatably supported at the upper end of sliding block 82 is a roller 100 and a similar roller 100a is rotatably supported at the upper end of sliding block 82a. It will be noted in Fig. lb that when mandrel 40a is inserted into tube 52, roller 100a will engage the outer wall of said tube and press the tube against the mandrel. It will be recalled that the mandrel is adapted to rotate when motor 30a is energised and when the tube wall is tightly engaged between mandrel 40a and roller 160a said tube will be caused to rotate under the influence of said rotating mandrel although not coaxially therewith. The pressure between the mandrel and the roller will remove the deformities in the tube wall and crush and thereby detach the burrs.

The same action'takes place, of course, at the opposite end of the machine as illustrated in Fig. 1a although the position of mandrel 40 and roller 100 as shown in Fig. la are in inoperative positions wherein they are out of engagement with a tube.

Turning now to the feeding and handling mechanism by which the tubes are moved into and out of operative position with respect to the two mandrels, it will be observed in Figs. 2 to 6 inclusive that the tubes are supported on a downwardly sloping ramp or railframework 110. Gravity will carry them down said ramp to a position directly below the two mandrels. Fork 112 is supported on a rod'114 mounted in a bearing 116. This rod projects downwardly into a cylinder 118 where it is secured to a piston. An upper line 120 and a lower line 122 connect the upper and lower ends of cylinder 118 to a source of compressed air or hydraulic fluid under pressure. It is by this means that fork 112 may be caused to move in either vertical direction. A similar fork 112a is mounted on a similar rod 114a mounted in a similar bearing 116a on the opposite side of the machine. Rod 116a is connected to a piston in cylinder 118a and upper and lower lines 120a and 122a respectively connect said cylinder to a source of compressed air or hydraulic fluid under pressure.

In order to feed a tube'52 to thetwom-andrels 40 and 40a, the two forks 112 are caused to move downwardly fiom the position which fork 112 is shown to occupy in Fig. 2. While in the elevated position shown in Fig. 2, fork 112 and 112a serve as stop members to prevent the tubes from rolling downwardly from their stored positions. When these two forks move downwardly to dis engage the forwardmost tube 52, said tube will roll downwardly until it engages a pair of beveled plates 130 and 130a respectively, these plates being secured to the ramp or rail framework 110. Forks 112 and 112a will then rise to the position shown in Fig. 2 and in doing so, they will engage said forwardmost tube 52 and carry it upwardly to the position which it is shown to occupy in Figs. 2 and 3. In this position, the central axis of the tube is spaced slightly below the central axis of the two mandrels. Cylinders 92 and 92:: will now be actuated and the mandrels and rollers will enter into engagement with the two ends of the tube. The rollers will push the tube upwardly until its central axis will be elevated above the central axis of the mandrels and further action, as above described, will ensue, the tube being caused to rotate while its ends are rolled between the mandrels on the one hand and the rollers on the other. In Figs. 7 and 8 the end of a typical tube 52 is shown prior to the rolling operation and it will there be noted that a deformity 52a is formed in the end of the tube as a result of the cutting action above described. When the mandrel and roller engage the tube wall between them, this deformity is corrected.

At the conclusion of the rolling operation the rollers will descend, as above described and the rolled tube will drop to forks 112 and 112a which had're'mained in elevated positions during said rolling operation. It will be understood that the tube continues to rotate by reason of its momentum or inertia after the rollers disengage it and were it not for the forks which are positioned to catch the tube, it would tend to jump away from the place to which it is dropped when the rollers disengage it. Cylinders 118 and 118a will again be energized causing forks 112 and 112a to descend to the position shown in Fig. 6. The rolled tube will now engage the tapered edges of plates 13d and a, and as shown in Fig. 6 the tube will roll down said tapered edges and upon the lower end of ramp or rail framework 110. The rolled tube may now be carried to a suitable collection receptacle.

The feeding and handling embodiment of the inven tion illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 includes a pair of endless conveyor belts or chains 141), each mounted on a pair of sprockets 14?. and 144 respectively. Spaced partitions or pins 146 are provided on each chain 140, thereby defining a plurality of equally spaced compartments adapted to receive the tubes. Sprockets 142 are mounted on a common shaft 148 "and sprockets 144 are mounted on a common shaft 159, one of these shafts being a motor driven shaft and the other being an idler. Since the two chains 149 are mounted on sprockets se cured to common shafts their respective pins or partitions 146 will be supported in alignment in each other. It will thereby be possible to support the several tubes in perfectly parallel relation, not only to each other but also to the spindles and mandrels of the machine as above described. One such mandrel 46 is shown in Figs. 9 and 10.

A pair of ramps 152 are provided adjacent the two chains 14% and it will be observed that each such ramp consists of an upwardly sloping portion 152a, a central recess 152i: and a downwardly sloping portion 152a.

These ramps are mounted on the main frame of the machine with their recessed portions 152b situated immediatelybelow the common mandrel axis above mentioned. As the chains carry the tubes along rightwardly as viewed in Fig. 9, they will individually rise on upwardly sloping ramps 152a until they drop into recesses 1521). They will then be engaged by the mandrels and raised by the rollers to the position shown in Fig. 10. In this position the rolling operation will take place and the tube will then be disengaged by the mandrels and rollers and will drop back into the recess -152b. The chains will then carry the rolled tube forwardly and downwardly along ramp 152a. This will conclude the operation and the chains will now carry the rolled tubes away to a collection receptacle.

The foregoing is illustrative of preferred-forms of this invention and it will be understood that these preferred forms may be modified and other forms may be provided within the broad spirit of the invention and the broad scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. An end-rolling machine for rolling both ends of a tube simultaneously, comprising supporting means for supporting a tube intermediate its ends in a horizontal plane, a pair of mandrels which are rotatably supported in axial alignment with each other in a horizontal plane, said mandrels being also mounted for axial movement toward each other, to engage simultaneously both ends of a tube disposed on said supporting means, a pair of rollers which are rotatably supported in axial alignment with each other below said mandrels, said rollers being also upwardly movable into cooperative relationship with said mandrels and into engagement with the ends of said tube to raise the tube off said supporting means and to press the tube wall against the mandrels, rotary drive means connected to said mandrels to cause them to rotate while both the mandrels and the rollers are in engagement with the ends of the tube, thereby rolling the ends of the tube, said rollers being movable downwardly out of engagement with the tube wall, and said mandrels being movable axially out of engagement with thetube ends at the conclusion of the rolling operation to release the tube and to permit it to drop back upon said supporting means.

2. An end rolling machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein each mandrel is mounted on a spindle, each spindle being mounted in a sleeve, each sleeve being mounted in a bearing, and each sleeve being connected to a rotary drive means, each spindle being axially movable within its sleeve and being keyed to the sleeve to prevent relative rotational movement between them, each said sleeve being free to rotate in its bearings'while being confined against axial movement therein, whereby the rotational movement which is imparted to the sleeves by said rotary drive means is also imparted to the spindles and the mandrels carried thereby.

3. An end rolling machine in accordance with claim 2, wherein thrust bearings are connected to the spindles and linkages are connected to the thrust bearings said linkages being also connected to the rollers, whereby said linkages may be actuated to move the spindles and mandrels into engagement with the ends of the tube while moving the rollers into engagement with the tube wall, said linkages being also adapted to disengage the mandrels and spindles from the ends of the tube at the same time disengaging the rollers from the wall of the tube.

4. An end rolling machine in accordance with claim 2, wherein the rollers are mounted on piston rods, said piston rods being connected to pistons and said pistons being mounted in cylinders, said cylinders being connected to sources of fluid under pressure to actuate the piston and thereby to move the rollers into and out of engagement with the wall of the tube.

5. An end rolling machine in accordance with claim 4, wherein thrust bearings are provided on the spindles and linkages are provided between said thrust bearings and said piston rods, whereby actuation of said piston rods to move the rollers into and out of engagement with the tube wall causes a corresponding movement of the spindles and mandrels into and out of engagement with the tube ends.

6. An end rolling machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein feeding means is provided to feed a plurality of tubes, one at a time to said mandrels, said tube feeding means consisting of a downwardly sloping frame adapted to carry the tubes and a pair of tube engaging forks situated at the ends of said frame adjacent the mandrels, said forks being Vertically movable from upper positions wherein they serve as stop members relative to the tubes to lower positions wherein they receive the foremost of said tubes, upward movement of said forks from said lower position causing the tube thus received to be elevated into operative position relative to the two mandrels, said mandrels being movable into engagement with the ends of said tube when the tube is supported by the forks in said last mentioned position, and said forks being then movable downwardly out of engagement with the tube to wholly support the tube on said mandrels for the rolling operation.

7. An end rolling machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein feeding means is provided to feed a plurality of tubes to the mandrels, one tube at a time, said feeding means comprising a pair of conveyors provided with partition means for separating the individual tubes from each other, an upwardly sloping ramp to which the conveyor carries said tubes and causes them to rise on said ramp, one at a time, a recess beyond the ramp into which the tubes individually drop, said recess being located to support the tubes in operative position opposite the mandrels, the mandrels being engageable with the ends of the tube in the recess, the rollers being engageable with the wall of the tube to elevate the tube out of the recess and to cause it to be supported entirely by said mandrels and said rollers during the rolling operation.

8. An end rolling machine which is adapted to roll both ends :of a tube simultaneously, said machine being provided with mandrels which engage the ends of the tube and with rollers which engage the wall of the tube against said mandrels, said mandrels and said rollers being the sole supporting means for supporting the tube during the rolling operation, and rotary drive means con nected to said mandrels for causing said mandrels to rotate and thereby rolling the ends of the tube between said mandrels and said rollers.

9. An end rolling machine in accordance with claim 8, wherein stationary guide elements are provided for engagement with opposite ends of the tube, said guide means being adapted to prevent axial shifting of the tube and being also adapted to break away and remove burrs on the ends of said tube in a wiping action between said tube and said guide elements while the tube is being rolled between the mandrels and the rollers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,028,102 Erickson June 4, 1912 1,076,985 Knupfer Oct. 28, 1913 2,473,306 Schreiber June 14, 1949 2,545,858 Pesqueira Mar. 10, 1951 2,554,405 Grosshaus May 22, 1951 2,645,000 Finch July 14, 1953 2,746,613 Meyer May 22, 1956 2,800,942 Parker July 30, 1957 

